Saturday, March 29, 2008

Gauge:
The gauge of this pattern is not important because it will stretch.

Construction:
This bag is crocheted in the round from the top down. It might be helpful to use a paperclip or a stitch marker to define the start of the round.Instructions:
CH- Chain
SL- Slip Stitch
SC- Single Crochet
DC- Double Crochet

Top & Handles:
1. CH 86.
2. SL 1 to join chain into a circle being careful not to twist the foundation row. SC the next 86 ST (row 1). SC two more rounds.
3. The next row you will be separating the handles from the body of the bag. SC 13, CH 11 (Skip 17 to create first handle), SC 26, CH 11 (Skip 17 to create second handle), SC 13.
4. SC 74 (one round)

Body
1. CH 4, {Skip 1, DC 1, CH 1} ←Repeat the bracketed stitches until you reach the end of the round.
2. DC into the opening created by the chain stitch openings of the previous round. {CH 1, DC 1} ← Repeat the bracketed stitches for three more rounds.
3. (CH 2, DC 1} ← Repeat for one round.
4. {CH 2, DC 1} ←Repeat for four more rounds.
5. {CH 1, DC 1} ← Repeat for one round.
6. {CH 1, DC 1} ← Repeat for one round.
7. Bag Bottom: At the end of the previous round, lay the bag flat so that the handles are lying on top of one another. While holding the front and the back of the bag together, SC through both sides to close up the bottom of the bag, and tie a knot at the end.
8. Weave in ends.

Use of Pattern:
If you would like to post about this pattern on your website or blog, please include a link to this entry. Copyright 2008 Cassiemarie - All Rights Reserved. You may use this pattern to crochet items for personal use or charity. You may not sell the pattern itself or any items made using this pattern under any circumstances, neither individually nor in any compilation of patterns. You may not copy this pattern and post it elsewhere, not on a web page, nor message board, nor via e-mail, nor via any other electronic means. If you make modifications to the pattern, please only post the modifications you made, not the entire modified pattern. Thanks! :)Fun Facts:
--Every year, each person in this country uses about 1,000 plastic bags.
--Using reusable bags will lower your carbon footprint and also save about 1,000 bags over the lifetime of the bag.

Hey Carol, It is a pretty basic pattern.I would get a basic crochet book to learn the stitches, and then have at it. The great thing about this bag is that it is a grocery bag, so if you make a few mistakes it isn't going to be life altering or project destructive. :)--Cassie

I LOVE this pattern. Thank you so much ;) You are so incredibly talented in so many venues. I love looking through your site.

I hadn't crocheted in 25 years and I started this pattern one night about midnight and crocheted until nearly 4 AM and had to make myself stop.

I've now made 4 bags! Two in hot lime green, one in ecru and just finished one in hot pink. They are great. The girls at the produce store where I shop love them :)

I just started my own art club (been wanting to for about a decade.) This is the first project I started with. Two with experience in crocheting finished theirs. The others are diligently continuing :)

I'm going to make one for my niece for Christmas. I'm going to line it, maybe with a batik print? She'll use it as a purse.

I just wanted to thank you for sharing this pattern with everyone. I had been looking for just a bag & since I know how to crochet (self taught) I was determined to make my own and not buy one.

I just finished my first one in a Lemon-Lime color by peaches& creme. It was easy to make. I admit when I finished it I had my doubts that this lil bag could stand up to my shopping. So I loaded it up with what I had in my pantree. Talk about shocked!

My younger sister is the trendy eco-friendly fanatic in the family and she is also very hard to shop for, for Christmas. Guess who will be getting 4-6 of these this Christmas in eco-friendly yarn of course!

It took me about 3 hours to do over the course of two nights. I started it last night at about 9 and after about an hour and a half I had to forcebly make myself stop to go to bed. I was forcing myself to keep from studying as that has become my most recent obsession and found that this bag did the trick. Then the chore became stopping the crocheting. LOL

Thank you again for sharing. I am looking forward to making more; namely one to use to carry some of my gear in Oct when I run our local Susan G. Koeman Race for the cure 5K.

Why is my bag only nine inches long and not stretching? It's a pretty little purse for a nine year old girl, but I'm a 32 year old man who wanted a mesh grocery bag! LOL! I used super saver acrylic yarn, is that my problem? Is it not stretchable? I used the correct hook size and am an experienced crocheter ( meaning I can follow any pattern and do it if I've the patience). I guess next bag I'll just do every step twice?

Hi. I just made one of these following your directions. Its the first thing I've ever crocheted. I got stitch instructions off the internet, then tried this bag. I had to take out and redo the top handle part four times before I figured out not to twist it. I think my stitches look okay, BUT my bag is way smaller than yours, about 8" wide and maybe 9" tall. I'm guessing I either did my stitches too tight or used the wrong size yarn. I used Lily Worsted 4-ply cotton. Is that too thick?

Thanks, Cassie. I've posted your site on my facebook page for my yarn shop, The Irresistible Ewe. I hope to try this pattern out with my resource kids at school today. Happy Earth Day and thanks again for sharing. Kathryn Jacoby

Love the pattern! It's taken me a while to find a bag pattern that I liked with two handles. I had to add a few extra rows on the bottom to make this the size I wanted. It was still very fun and easy to make! Thanks alot!

i made this bag, becuase i thought it was a wonderful idea! however, with the correct yarn, hook, and following these directions, the handles were way to short, and the bag looked no where near as big as the image displayed. I even had my mom whos been crocheting far longer then anyone i know, double check my work. Next time i make it i will have to add double the stitches for the handels, and a bunch of extra rows on the bottom becuase even when we filled it, it did not stretch to hold half of what the image showed. Great idea though!

Its Pleasure to read your blog.The above articles is very impressive, and I really enjoyed reading your blog and points that you expressed. I love to come back on a regular basis,post more on the subject.Thanks for sharing...keep writing!!!Rank A Website

Lovely! Diy Gifts Studio loved the photo so much that we've published it on our web page talking about Mother's Day Gifts. We hope you like the way we've used your work. Incase something should bother your eye or heart, please, let us know. It's of high importance for us that the author of a sweet image that we've used is happy with it.

I'm working on making one with cut up plastic shopping bags right now. I've only got the top done so far, but I think it's going to turn out well (although I'm going to have to reinforce the corners of the handles if it's going to carry anything heavy). Thanks for the great pattern!

I love the pattern, but have a few comments. I don't think the pattern as it is written is exactly the pattern that was used to make the bag in the photos. I noticed that in the photo, the top few rows that form the handles are crocheted up and down and then when the bag section is started, the first row is crocheted across the end of the rows. In other words, the handle and the bag is not made in one continuous piece as the pattern was written. This would account for the fact that the handles do not come out as long as they appear in the pictures. I, too, have noticed that the bag does not end up as large as it appears in the photo. I have crocheted 12 rows, which is what I count in the picture, and is not nearly as deep as the one in the picture appears. I haven't figured out why this happened. It doesn't appear that the one in the photos is actually done in treble crochet, but that would make the finished bag deeper. Also, after beginning mine, I thought it was looking too narrow, so I switched to a larger hook. I have searched and searched to find a bag that I like, so I am going to keep trying to make this one turn out just right!

I have had the same problem with the bag not being the size of the one in the picture. It should be much bigger. I am going to try it with a bigger hook but not sure how much that would help. Anyone solved this problem yet. Please post if you have . Thanks !

I see that you said this bag could be made by a beginner....I know the basic stitches, I just never crochet anything other than an afghan. How can I learn how to crochet "around"? Thanks. I am also glad I found your site. I am going to have to visit more often.

I'm going to be making this WITH Plarn (plastic yarn) to recycle the plastic grocery sacks from my store. My friends and family give me all their bags so I can make purses and bags as gifts. I think these bags will be helpful for the other members of our community garden.

i mad my shopping bag when i was 10 and it was pretty easy. I maded with a recycle plastic. If you think is not deep enough just add few more lines, i think it will be ok.I am going to use few old tapes to make my grocery bag.

I love this bag and started working on it but am confused. When I worked the Top & Handles, it was going fine until I realized it was way too small! I did chain 86 and missed joining the chain the first go round. By the time I got to step 4, it was a single handle and not enough room to get anything in. I tried again but am still confused. I did the chain 86 and joined it into a cicle. When I finished the second step, I had a little circle. Can you clarify a bit cause I really do want to make this bag! Thanks Pat

I'm currently working on this cute bag from memory. (Misplaced the pattern.) I have one suggestion and that will be done on my bag. Add a few rows of single crochets at the bottom to give it a good base. I bought two balls of Peaches 'N Cream, and will use whatever is necessary to get the size I want. I like the basic pattern and will enlarge the next one. I may use your handles on a bag I started from the bottom a while back which is supposed to have handles as separate strips. It starts at the bottom and is done in singles, then chains and singles to form a net.

I altered my copy of your pattern to include row or round numbers. It's easier for me to follow.

I made a few of these bags in regular worsted yarn, Red heart actually. I even embellished them with some fringe and beads and filled them a few toiletries for my niece as a birthday gift. She loved it and now I'm making them for the other 7 nieces!

To all those having problems, if you use cotton yarn, it will stretch. and the pattern is correst even if it does "appear" that the handle is a different peice. I have made several. I do usually add one more row, just because i have enough yarn left on the ball, then I put 8 cans of food in it and shake it hard to make sure the knot will not come apart. It stretches out wonderfully Thanks much for this pattern!

The first time I made this, I used a hook that was too small. However, the end result is the cutest little bag that I carry my lunch and various smaller items back and forth to the office. I made a second with the bigger hook and really like the finished product. Thanks.

nice thanks. im thinking of going to hardware store and buying a large spool of some cotton twine or thread like and make a few for friends we can use at the local farmers market !! very much appreciated

I am a brand new crocheter...this is only the second thing I made. Mine looks like you could fit two wooden shoes it in. I definitely made a few mistakes...not sure how. Mine is wide and not long...I will try again.

I made some slight changes to your pattern to make a bag for myself and I love it! I use it as my daily purse and I've had so many people ask where I got it that I'd like permission to start making my edition of your bag and sell them.

I'll have to try the pattern it looks great. I'm planning on using plastic bags instead of yarn!You can cut the bags into loops and link them together to make a very sturdy yarn. Just a thought for anyone else out there with dozens of saved up plastic bags.

To everyone who has left a comment on this post in the past four years: There is a notice on the blog's main page that the blog moved to a new address: http://cassiemarieedwards.blogspot.ca/Maybe that's why Cassie hasn't answered any of the multiple questions about the scale of this bag.

I have no idea why people had issues with this pattern. I picked up a hook for the first time 2 weeks ago and taught myself how to crochet. This pattern was super easy and turned out perfect. I used worsted weight and J hook. Maybe people are doing it to tightly or not reading the pattern fully as far as how many times to repeat the row. I'm making many of these for my daughter who is off to an eco friendly college in WA next fall. Thanks!